Galvanic MEMS switches

Jiahui WangGalvanic MEMS switches are presently considered as a key new component in mobile communication systems such as cellular phones. These components can help to reduce the overall amount of electronic parts in a multiband transit/receive system. They promise a reduction of the size, power consumption, and manufacturing cost of the system. It is however acknowledged that such switches generally suffer from long-term wearout problems: many switches as manufactured today cannot reach the lifetime needed for commercial success. In this project we aim to identify the main device degradation mechanisms and come up with practical solutions to improve the long term performance of the devices.